


wilted flowers

by cryptkey



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Callum is scared to meet the parents, Ethari is scary, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Major Character Injury, Minor whump, Multi, Near Death Experiences, Not Beta Read, Parent Ethari (The Dragon Prince), Rayla is stubborn, Romance, Runaan Has PTSD (The Dragon Prince), Slow To Update
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:55:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21723343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryptkey/pseuds/cryptkey
Summary: After a year of staying hidden from hunters and assassins alike, Viren and Aaravos crawl out from the shadows they took asylum in. They come to the Silvergrove for magical weapons for another army, capturing every elf with their dark magic tricks and forcing them to kneel before the corrupted human.Ethari was before them, in no better position than the others of the Silvergrove. He expected to see a sickening image of Viren, the human they were warned of following the events at the Storm Spire.He did not expect to see the image of his late husband corrupted by their dark magic to stand before him with such darkness swimming in his once beautiful blue eyes.--(A/N): This is turning out to be a full story with underlying plots. Also, this is set right after Season 3, so events of Through the Moon don't happen here.*summary updated on 2020/09/11
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Ethari/Runaan (The Dragon Prince), Runaan/Tinker | Necklace Elf (The Dragon Prince), Ruthari - Relationship
Comments: 35
Kudos: 112





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy this! <3
> 
> It probably sucks but it was fun to write!

Ethari was stunned. He could hardly breathe. His gaze was captured by one of the shadowy figures standing around them, stuck in that familiar stare that was now tainted a sickening purple. 

The figure approached without a sound, their dark hair flowing in a nonexistent breeze behind them. They moved in a way that Ethari had memorised over the years they had been together. It wasn’t a walk to show off his build or his outfit, it was a walk to show others he isn’t afraid to fight for them. 

Why did he fight them now when he promised he will always fight for them?

Ethari finally managed a soft sob once he saw the figure up close, his eyes wide with shock. “Runaan?” his voice shook just as much as his body. This couldn’t be his Runaan, his flower had went under and yet here he was, looming over the bound figures of those he considered his family many moons ago. Weapons in his hands, ready to attack anyone challenging him. 

Runaan didn’t shift his darkened gaze away from his husband. Instead, he took a couple of steps to the side, allowing two figures to pass by him to stand in front of Ethari’s kneeling form.

“You must be Ethari, the weaponsmith of the Moonshadow elves.” The voice belonged to a human, clad in dark brown and black clothing. The staff of Aaravos at his side. “My name is Lord Viren.”

Ethari turned his gaze away from Runaan and closed his eyes to stop tears from gathering. “What do you want from us?”

“Weapons.” Viren adjusted his stance to stand a little taller. His eyes shifted from elf to elf before him, a smile tugging at his lips. The soldiers he could make of them. He could have an army. “Enough for several armies.”

Aaravos grinned as he watched every elf around them. They banished him and know they’re kneeling at his mercy. How ironic that after centuries of being locked away in a damned mirror he gets to have them shaking under his gaze. 

However, Aaravos’ mental victory ceremony was cut short by the sharp, furious and hurt voice of the weaponsmith kneeling in front of him. 

Ethari was slowly turning his head up to look Viren in the eyes. His stare unwavering and filled with nothing but the rage of a wild animal. “What did you do to them?” 

Viren spoke as coldly and as mysterious as ever. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with, I assure you that once you complete the weapons, you all will join them by my side and under my command.”

“You’re a monster.”

After the words left Ethari’s mouth in a low sneer, Viren slammed his fist against his jaw with as much strength as he could muster in a fleeting moment of reckless and violent intentions. The elf landed on his side with a grunt, his eyes shut and his body tense. He felt like a rock had been thrown at his face. 

He took a mental note that ‘Lord Viren’ was just as strong as them physically. He turned his head back to them. He was blinking to get rid of the water in his eyes and moving his jaw around to assure his mind and nerves that the damage wasn’t fatal or permanent. 

“The only monsters here--” Viren began, tugging at the front of his robes to adjust it after the sudden movement, dusting it off a little bit where necessary. “--are you. Now, do you agree to build these weapons for us or not?”

“Never.”

A certain emotion made itself apparent in Viren's eyes. Not one of darkness or anger. It seemed like hatred, rage. “Then I will force you to make them."

Ethari shifted to sit up. His jaw still stung from the hit. "You can't force Moonshadow magic onto weapons. It will destroy you if you even try." His accent was heavy, his voice soft. "Now leave us be, I beg you."

"And leave with your husband? Your family? How low elves have fallen to leave their loved ones behind for the profits of dark magic." Viren scoffed a little, his grip tightening on the staff he held in front of him. There was clearly residual anger from the previous conversation still boiling in his blood, however, Viren was doing his best not to act on impulse this time. 

To Aaravos, Viren was acting like a spoiled toddler who had just been told that he won’t get the toy he wanted for his birthday. He was acting childish _._

Almost as childish as the emotions behind Ethari’s eyes and faltering breath as he watched this sickening sight of his husband standing before him. His once beautiful snow-white hair looked as if it had been dipped in the darkness of a moonless night. His eyes, once blue like the sky of day, were twisted into nothing but a dim purple glow surrounded by the darkness radiating off his skin. 

This couldn’t be the real Runaan. This couldn’t be their family. 

“It’s not them. It’s not the living, caring, brave elves we sent out of our home to end a war. They will make this war worse. They are not our family.”

"But, on the contrary, it is them, simply under a spell. They can hear you, they can see you, they can feel you as they cut you into ribbons. They just can't control themselves in any way, shape or form besides thought anymore." Aaravos grabbed Ethari by the jaw as he did with the Queen of the Sunfire elves when they were at Lux Aurea, his grip tight and painful.

His smile had yet to falter for even a moment and Ethari saw it widen for a moment. 

Ethari quickly jerked his head back from Aaravos as the archmage elf leaned closer to his ear. It stopped him at least, however, it didn’t stop the wave of anger and frustration from boiling his blood. As tempting as it was to bolt up and kill these two, he had to remain calm and think about this. "Then let them go." 

Aaravos shook his head, one finger underneath Ethari’s jaw, turning his head back to face him. "Or you could join your husband. Think about it. You'll finally be with each other and without the worry of having to protect each other again. You'll be under our protection for the rest of your lives."

Ethari stared into Aaravos' golden eyes, processing and registering his words slowly. It sounded like he was telling the truth, his words smooth and sincere. He couldn’t help but wonder if it would come true if he gave in. Would it become a reality? This sounded too easy, too tempting to be the truth. 

_"-you all will join them by my side and under my command_."

A quick reminder of what Viren said a few minutes ago made Ethari narrow his eyes, another wave of untapped fury boiling his blood and fueling his will to fight more. He kicked his leg up swiftly, the front of his boot hit the bottom of Aaravos’ jaw and sent him flying a couple of feet from the sheer force of the kick alone. 

All the other elves around them slipped out quiet gasps and whispers. They hesitated for a single moment, but Ethari’s will to fight fueled their own. They jumped to their feet and leapt at the two captors as though they were wild animals, starved of food and prey for days. They fought with all they could, considering their arms and wrists were still bound by the dark magic.

They kicked and slammed their whole bodies against Viren and Aaravos. Most were aiming or Viren, but his movements to dodge them were a little too swift and smooth for them. Probably another one of his dark magic spells to aid him in battle. 

Runaan and the other dark elves were just as swift to act. They fought against the others with all they had. They fought against their own family and friends. If one were to look deep enough, you would see the apparent desperation in their eyes to stop. They wanted to stop battling against them and save them, not condemn them. 

Runaan had managed to get most of them off Aaravos and a small distance away from him. He kept them at bay as Aaravos prepared a wind spell. Once performed, everyone but Viren and the dark elves was sprawled over the grass. 

The wind spell Aaravos had used was powerful enough to knock most of them off their feet. They laid on the grass. Breathless and stunned. Some remained still while others tried to shift their way to stand up again. 

Aaravos didn't even turn his head to them. He didn’t need to. The moon was nowhere to be seen on this night, giving the stars all the glory. He could see them without physically looking at them, yet. "Stay still or you'll get to join your friends." It stifled their movements, making Aaravos fold his arms behind his back again. His smile was ever so evident with each passing second. " **Good.** "

"Now, seeing as none of you is willing to work with us, I supposed I have no more use for you." Viren lifted his staff above Ethari’s head, his eyes beginning to glow purple, his chanting unintelligible. It only got louder from there as the staff was raised higher above Ethari. 

He closed his eyes and braced himself for what was to come. He would be waiting for Runaan, Rayla, and everyone else in the afterlife. He did what he could for them. Now he was weak and about to be killed.

Viren smirked, he loved seeing this look on anyone’s face. The look of acceptance of death. Welcoming it almost. He shook it off and swiftly moved his staff downward, his target right between Ethari’s horns.

Ethari expected there to be pain, white-hot, seething agony. But all he felt was warmth and strong arms wrapped around him like some magical shield made of fire or lava. It was soothing and careful. It felt like he was safe again. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's ignore that this took forever for me to finish, please TwT

Everything around them seemed to stop. The animals and creatures of the forest made no sound as though they were stopped in time. Everything stopped to watch the scene unfold itself before them. 

Nobody was sure how it took place. It moved too fast for them to comprehend in such a short period.

Viren's chanting had stopped halfway through as well, his eyebrows raised and his mouth still ajar from his halted words. He was stunned at the sight laid out in front of him like a portrait, it was mocking him, in some way. 

It was reminding him that he wasn’t yet as strong as he wished to be. 

He watched as midnight blue hair turned a beautiful white, much like Aaravos’, starting from the scalp and going down to the end of the messy hair. Pure black skin turned pale and once purple markings turned a dusk-like blue. Many bruises coated their skin like an abstract painting of some sick painter’s twisted dreams. 

The dark appearance melted off him like ink, gathering around his kneeling position before bubbling and sizzling into a cloud of thin, grey smoke. It disappeared quickly between the raindrops that began to fall.

Viren’s mind processed it slowly, his eyes going wider with each passing second.

An elf broke his spell. 

Viren took a step back, his hands slipping from the staff as he took a sharp breath in. The realization dawned on him as sudden as the howl of thunder echoing over the Silvergrove. This wasn’t an illusion, this was real. Nobody was playing tricks on him.

An elf broke the damn spell.

If one elf could break it, then the rest could too and Aaravos and Viren could easily be overpowered. He took a few more steps back and looked around him. All the other dark elves remained indifferent to the turn of events and Viren knew he would at least have a fighting chance against the current threat; the wrath of the Moonshadow elves. 

Viren watched as Ethari held onto the warm body wrapped around his own loosely. A couple of raindrops fell from the sky.

Ethari was slow to open his eyes once he realized silence had befallen them. He noticed the dirty white hair first of all and his heart began to pound in his ears, cancelling out any other sound that might have come from the forest or the others.

His eyes moved to the face of the elf hovering above him and his blood stopped in its veins. His body ran cold and felt heavier than ever. Yet he felt as light as a feather at the same time. He was soaring and sinking in his own feelings, his thoughts going at the speed of light. 

Ethari could feel his face pale and his hand reach up to cup the cheek of his late husband carefully, as though he would vanish merely by his touch alone.

“Runaan?” Ethari asked, his voice was soft, barely above a whisper. 

Runaan opened his own sky-like eyes slowly, but only halfway. Ethari saw how Runaan’s vision began to blur together by how his eyes slowly began to shut again unevenly. Runaan went limp against Ethari, his breathing ragged and sputtering.

It took Ethari not another second to notice the tip of Viren’s staff protruding from Runaan’s chest. 

The painful wail that tore from Ethari wasn't swallowed by the loud crack of thunder above them. His body worked quickly to stop the blood gushing from the wound. Crimson ran from between Ethari’s fingers when he applied pressure to lessen the bleeding, down to his arms and dripping from his elbow to the healthy, green grass below.

The elves around them shook themselves of their shock when the wail reached their ears. They leapt into action, abandoning all they had been taught throughout their lives. The greedy vice of their bindings was still strong, but it wouldn't stop them now.

Once a single being managed to slip from the chains, it was though hell broke loose as others began to do the same. Viren had quickly gotten cornered, despite all the dark magic he was using to prevent it.

Aaravos hadn’t known Moonshadow elves could possibly be so brutal even in the direst of situations they might find themselves in. They’ve always been viewed as the graceful fighters who were light on their feet and quick to strike when finished playing tricks on their target. 

Like predatory felines would with their prey during a hunt.

Viren reeled around to face Aaravos. 

Aaravos had raised the Sunfire staff to appear intimidating. Viren forgot the archmage was simply possessing a body, his powers limited to the energy the host holds within them.

Viren realised something at this moment. No matter how terrifying Aaravos was in the stories of times long since past, human or elven, the Moonshadow elves were willing to sacrifice themselves to protect their home and loved ones from both himself and Aaravos.

They weren't going to come out of this unscathed if they did at all.

Moonshadow elves once more battled against the dark elves, leaving them be when they saw the moon-like colour return to their hair and the sick purple drop from their forms as though it was infected blood pouring from the wounds. It pooled around them, sizzling into nothing after it had no more contact with the host.

It didn't take long before Aaravos and Viren were being held down by the back of their heads. A hiss escaped the ghostly figure of Aaravos before it disappeared as though it had been an illusion all along. 

Viren growled as his hands were tied behind him, growing impatient. This was the second time Aaravos let him be captured.

In Aaravos' place was a young Sunfire elf male, struggling to breathe properly. His golden eyes were glazed over, a distant look in them. It looked as though he wasn't seeing the Silvergrove, but a place far beyond the thundering howls echoing across the forest and the rain falling on his face.

Two of the healers ran over to the panicked Ethari and pulled Runaan from his vice. Another had to hold Ethari still to calm him, letting the traumatised elf cry into her shoulder as they carried his husband away. 

Ethari stayed outside, refusing to move from the comfort of the cold rain and the hold of a friend to keep him grounded into reality. 

It took hours. Hours of fear eating away at him. Hours of not knowing the fate of his husband, who everyone had deemed dead for two months. 

Ethari wanted to know now. The knowledge that his Runaan had kept his promise to return was a relief, but the fear of losing him again was eating at him.

The decision to go inside took a while for Ethari had to convince himself that it was better for him to wait inside. He thanked the woman that took care of him for the last few hours and made his way to his room.

A healer emerging from the room they held Runaan in made him freeze. They leaned against one of the nearby trees with a deep sigh, shoulders tense and eyes exhausted.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah so this fic isnt abandoned, just saying! I'm just a tired n slow rat that attempts to stay active but I get scared so uhh,,,
> 
> i hope yall like it! <333

Forcing his feet to move towards the healer, Ethari dreaded what he would hear. His heart was pounding against his chest, and he held his breath. His hair was still damp but had begun to dry from the slight breeze sifting through large branches of the trees. 

"Ethari. There you are." The healer said, with a small smile. "I was just about to--"

Ethari quickly interrupted the healer. "How is he?" He couldn't stand not knowing the fate of Runaan any longer. His hands were clutching the fabric of his shirt as he crossed his arms over his chest. His fidgeting was a way to calm himself. 

In the back of his head, the weaponsmith scolded himself for being rude and cutting someone off. Right now, he couldn't care less. _His husband was at stake_.

The healer sighed. "He's lost a lot of blood, multiple broken bones in his arms and his horn is fractured. He's lucky to be alive, Ethari." 

Closing his eyes, Ethari dreaded the next question he had to ask. The pounding of his heart had calmed somewhat to a numb ache, making him feel hollow. Like the day he watched Runaan’s flower lose its light and sink under the reflective surface of the pond. 

He hated the reflection of the moon that day, it was staring back at him, making a show of how it was still shining, and his husband’s flower was not.

The healer must have caught onto his thought process, putting a hand on Ethari’s shoulder to provide as comfort and an anchor to reality. "He'll recover, Ethari. Runaan is strong, and he will make it through this. We healed him where we could, the rest is up to him."

Heaving a heavy sigh of relief, Ethari relaxed his shoulders a little. "Can I see him?"

The healer nodded and began making his way to the room they took Runaan to rest after healing him. Ethari followed silently to the tree he was being led to, white markings etched into the base of the tree to guide any who sought out help.

"He's asleep right now, but you can stay here until he wakes up. Send me if you need anything." 

The room was flooded with moonlight from a large circular window on the opposite wall from the door, casting a beautiful glow over everything. The bed was large, with dusk blue covers that Ethari knew was comfortable. 

The walls were the insides of the large tree, a dark brown with mossy accents to provide a form of comfort once the unconscious opened their eyes. It was a great comfort to them until they were healthy enough to return to their own homes and tend to themselves.

The healer gave Ethari a comforting pat on the shoulder before leaving, closing the door behind him.

Ethari shivered once he saw Runaan under the covers, breathing steadily with a thick layer of bandages wrapped around his chest. He's seen Runaan hurt before, after various other missions, but this was beyond that.

Runaan had been touched by _death_ on this day.

Even though Ethari had felt it before, the crushing feeling of knowing his husband could have been dead by now was still overwhelming. It tied a knot around his heart and pulled it tight. It stung, knowing that the kiss they shared when Runaan left could have been their last. 

But Runaan was here. Alive and breathing.

Ethari shook his head to get out of his thoughts. He took the chair that was next to the door and put it next to the bed with a soft sigh. Pulling out some objects to keep himself busy with, he glanced up at Runaan every couple of minutes, his gaze lingering on every bruise and cut scattered over the skin that he could see. 

The numb ache disappeared, but the string around his heart kept pulling tighter and tighter. When it became unbearable, Ethari put down the locket he had been tinkering on and let the tears fall freely. 

He didn't make a sound as the hot liquid fell, his breathing heavy and uneven. Taking Runaan’s hand in his own, he leaned closer to put a kiss to the bruised knuckles. The kiss lingered and before Ethari knew it he was sobbing into his husband’s cold hand. 

The words stung as he whispered them. “ _Please don’t leave me again._ ”

\---#---

It had been a little over a week when Ethari had whispered his silent plea to Runaan. During that week, Ethari had made a bed within Runaan’s room as he recovered. While during the day, he would be out working and ensuring that the other elves were taken care of as well.

Rayla was still on her quest with her human companion, making it impossible for him to comfort himself in one of her amazing hugs. Clearly, she had been taught by Runaan how to hug, he’d caught onto that very quickly when she was young. 

All he could do was wait, so that’s what he did. 

On one particular night, Ethari couldn’t sleep. He felt cold and alone, but he didn’t wish to disturb Runaan’s healing by lying down beside him, so he brought the chair to the side of the bed again. He took Runaan’s hand once more, giving it a lingering kiss and resting his head next to it. It didn’t take long before he dozed off.

He also didn’t sleep long. He felt the hand in his shift, which caused Ethari to jolt upright, his eyes wide as he watched Runaan’s face. 

There was a deep frown on his features as though he’d hit his leg against a table, and a groan accompanied it as Runaan shifted slightly in place.

Pulling his chair closer, Ethari felt tears in his eyes again, holding Runaan’s hand a little tighter. “R-Runaan?” Ethari mentally cursed his voice for sounding so broken.

Runaan’s eyes shot open, the sky blue irises landing immediately on Ethari’s. He must have been startled from the sight, for he jumped a little as he hurried to sit up. 

“Don’t!” Ethari whispered quickly, holding his free hand over Runaan’s shoulder. The assassin froze, his eyes never leaving Ethari’s. “You’re hurt, Runaan. Please, lie back down and heal.” Ethari was doing his best to remain calm, but he could feel the knot around his heart and throat tighten, his lip and hands trembling. 

Runaan frantically searched Ethari's eyes for something off about his appearance, to see if this is some sick mind game Viren is playing on him again. When he found none, Runaan raised his bruised knuckle to gently run over Ethari’s cheek. 

The weaponsmith leaned into the touch immediately, shutting his eyes and letting the tears fall. 

“Ethari?” Runaan whispered with tears in his own eyes. “ _Please be real._ ” Both his hands moved to hold Ethari’s head, putting their foreheads together. It felt so real, Runaan felt the heat radiating off Ethari’s skin and the cold of his tears. 

With a trembling sigh, Ethari opened his eyes again to watch his husband. “I’m real, Runaan. You’re home. You’re safe.” He held Runaan’s hands still, feeling the warmth slowly return to them. 

Runaan trembled. It felt real, but so did the other tricks. The other games were just as real as reality itself. How can he be sure this is not? He tried to dig into his memories of the tricks, he remembers one time he could tell it wasn’t real. But the events that caused him to realise it was a mere illusion were lost to him. 

That _snake_ of a human must have taken the memories from him. 

Runaan closed his eyes, letting out a silent sigh, which very quickly turned into a sharp inhale as he clutched his chest. Red was quickly soaking the moon white bandages wrapped around Runaan’s torso. 

Ethari panicked, putting his hands on Runaan’s shoulders to help him lie down. “Lie down, relax, I’ll get a healer.” 

Runaan felt fear grip his heart. If Ethari leaves, would he wake up in the cell again? He called out for Ethari when he saw him rush out the door, trying to reach for him. He tumbled out of the bed, the pain in his body forcing out a strangled cry from his throat.

Some blood dripped from his lip, the sight of the floor being stained with crimson once more made Runaan tremble. Bringing his hand up to his lips, he caught some of the blood dripping. He brought it to his eyes, inspecting it closely. The taste of the metallic liquid on his tongue made him cough up a bit more, putting his hand on the bloodied ground to push himself up.

His limbs felt **heavy**. He struggled to move them at all, holding onto the fabric of the bed to pull himself up. He had to keep going. Ethari and Rayla are waiting for him and he'll be damned if he didn't get to see them again. 

His chest stung most and he attempted to remember how he got the wound or how he even survived it. It was clearly a fatal wound, right through the heart, it sent his head into a fit attempting to figure out just exactly **how** he got it.

Runaan froze when the door slammed open, unmoving and entirely stilled under the light of the moon. The healers bolted right for him, his instincts telling him to run, get as far away from them as you can, but he couldn't move. Something was holding him in place. 

_Was this truly real? Did he make it home?_

Taking a chance with fate, he let the healers lie him back down on the bed, cutting off the bloodied bandages and cleaning his face from the fresh blood. They moved with practised precise, speaking to be him in calm and soothing voices, but he couldn't hear a word they were saying.

Runaan was utterly frozen. He struggled to breathe properly, the sounds of the room numbing out from the sound of his heartbeat pounding away in his ears. His body felt so cold, his limbs numb and heavy. 

_Make it stop_. Runaan begged whatever gods there were. _Make it stop, please. I want to stay with my family. **Please**._

His eyes struggled to focus, but the pounding of his heart seemed to calm down slowly. 

"He's coming back!" He heard a muffled voice. "Runaan, stay with us. Focus on Ethari, he's right here with you." 

_Ethari's still here?_

Looking to his right, he was met with the wonderful sunset colours of his husband's eyes, filled to the brim with tears and holding his limp hand in a death grip. Ethari, the one in the tricks of his mind, would have left by now.

This must be real then. _It has to be._ The pain, the textures and the perfect image of his husband were too real. 

"Runaan, you promised you'd stay," Ethari whispered to him, holding the cold hand close to his heart. 

Runaan used whatever energy he had to raise the hand Ethari was holding so close to him, lifting the trembling fingers to his cheek to wipe the tears away. Ethari held his wrist then, held it against his cheek as a sob broke from him.

And Runaan managed to smile, his mouth free of the blood that had been there minutes before. 

Because he's home. He made it back to his family. 

He did it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some softer moments so ethari can have a break  
> he deserves it after his husband nearly died twice this time around
> 
> the royal trio comes with a certain favourite assassin to the silvergrove

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im TIRED.  
> but i hope, you en j o y t h i s
> 
> i wanna get the next chapter out faster  
> come yell at me on twitter if you want my @ is @lzwwx_

Sitting by the small pond, Ethari let out a deep sigh, watching his Husband’s flower dip with the ripples in the water he made with his hand. The coolness of it was a calming feeling, like a hand stroking his wrist to calm him down, as Runaan would if Ethari had nightmares. 

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the quiet around him. It was peaceful, despite the chaos that occurred a week or so ago. He took this time to process what happened last night, the event still fresh in his memory, making him tremble at what could have been.

Runaan had nearly passed away again, but he pulled through, somehow. The healers don’t know how he survived, but Ethari was grateful that they helped keep him stable enough until he could peacefully fall asleep as his body regained its energy.

A splash of water out of rhythm against his wrist made him open his eyes in curiosity, looking down at the surface of the water. In the reflection was Rayla with not one, but two, human companions at her side. Her eyes were brimming with tears, worry lacing every aspect of her body that watched him through the reflection.

Ethari jumped up and dashed to where they were, breaking the banishment spell placed over them all for the time being to calm the young assassin. The reaction was instant, Rayla pulling him down into a hug, tears falling over her cheeks. 

“Please, _please_ , tell me he’s a’right.” She whispered against his chest, eyes shut tight. 

Ethari smiled, wrapping his arms around her shaking shoulders. “He’s fine, Rayla. He’s asleep.”

“What happened to him?” Asked the taller human companion, Callum, if he remembers correctly. “Was it Viren?”

The name sent a spark of rage and panic up Ethari’s spine, making him tense for a moment, his arms tightening around Rayla. He nodded slowly, giving the human a faltering look of confirmation and _dread_. 

Callum was caught off guard for a moment, giving the tall elf a single nod and understanding look. 

For a moment, Ethari was sure this human had gone through something similar. His eyes too knowing, the soft voice being used to not provoke or upset him. This human, _this child_ , had felt this crushing feeling of dread before. 

Maybe he could talk to him about it, learn how to cope with this situation from him. However, that still depends on if Callum had gotten past the trauma himself. Ethari does not want to agitate a child, a human one, no less.

He’d best ask when Rayla would be with Runaan, but before that can happen, Ethari has to convince everyone else that Rayla did the right thing by running away. After what he saw happened to Runaan and the others, being corrupted as they were, he was certain he could get everyone else to believe his reasoning. 

It dawned on him then what could have been if Rayla hadn’t taken the princes to the Dragon Queen. Regret swelled in his chest, holding the sobbing girl closer and putting his nose into her hair. It still smelt of Lunablooms, but another smell was present. 

It reminded Ethari of a storm.

Taking her hand, he gave the princes a final nod before leading the young elf into the Silvergrove, wiping her tears away with a soft smile.

“Come, let’s get your name cleared.”

\- #-

It took most of the night, but the banishment was finally lifted after what felt like an eternity of bargaining. The stares Rayla were given made Ethari’s mouth taste bitter with curses that sat on the edge of his tongue, ready to verbally beat them down if they did anything worse.

Rayla may not be his daughter by blood but he raised her as if she was, he won’t let them do anything to her. 

The girl gripped his wrist tightly for a moment, making him look at her questioningly with a confused glint in his eyes. She looked worried, her walking stopped to stand in front of him. 

“You a’right there, Ethari? Do ya need some time alone?”

_Always so considerate_ , Ethari smiled, ruffling her hair affectionately. She hissed at him softly, smiling as she patted her hair back down to a remnant of its former, messy glory.

“I’m fine, I promise.” He chuckled, the bitter taste in his mouth fading as fast as lightning.

She gave him a weary smile, but it quickly dropped when she looked around them. She turned in a circle, looking up and down, the frown on her face growing deeper. 

She turned back to the confused Ethari, her voice low. “Where are the princes? I told them to wait here for me.”

Ethari felt a smile tug at his face. “Were you planning on taking Callum out for Moonberry Juice?”

Her face turned a soft shade of red and she gave his arm a light smack, making him chuckle again. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, he pulled her closer as they began to walk again. 

“Do you think they went to see the other,” Ethari choked on his words somewhat, the bitter name sitting on his tongue. “The other human?”

“If they are I’m going to punt them through a tree and kill them myself.”

Ethari shook his head, approaching the large underground dungeons, the panic in his chest causing sharp pain. Everything in him told him to move away from this place, lest he risks getting caught in the Dark Mage’s mental traps. 

“I want to have a talk with Callum before ya do.”

Rayla’s steps faltered for a moment, her shoulders tense and eyes shifting between Ethari and the ground. “For what?” Her voice hid something and Ethari’s eyes narrowed slowly. So there _was_ something more to their relationship than he first suspected.

Vaguely he wondered what sparked it, but he’ll figure that out later. For now, he just had to focus on dodging the two speeding humans that almost crashed into them in a fit of laughter. The Moonstriders they were on were beaming with energy after their rest through the night, bouncing up and down as the two humans clung to the reins with all their might.

When their energy fit came to a slow, Callum hopped off his Moonstrider and practically ran a straight line to Rayla, holding her hands in his. Ethari took a step back, letting the human prince pass by him as he moved to the two mounts. 

“Rayla, you _have_ to come try this!” Ethari heard from over his shoulder, shaking his head as he took the reins from the younger prince and pet the animal’s head softly. 

Looking up at the youngest, he spoke to him in a hushed tone. “Always so energetic, I assume?”

The young boy smiled and bit into a human treat with childlike delight. “You have no idea. I’m Ezran, by the way, it’s nice to finally meet you.”

Ezran was holding his hand out, Ethari taking it gently and giving it a soft shake. He wasn’t sure if he did the human greeting correctly, but judging from the beaming smile on the prince’s face, he must have done it alright. 

Something was odd about Prince Ezran to him though. He was sitting comfortably on the most stubborn Moonstrider he’s ever had the displeasure of meeting here in the Silvergrove as if it was the tamest and kindest creature next to the Shadowpaw. It was somewhat unsettling, watching the prince feed the mount some of the human treats too.

“Prince Ezran, if I may ask, how did ya tame a Moonstrider?”

The human hummed in surprise at the question, almost choking on the treat he had in his mouth. The glowtoad in his arms making an odd rumbling noise as it sturred in its sleep, the dragonling’s wings wrapped around it to create warmth for them both. 

Before he could say anything, Rayla spoke for him. “The prince has a way with wild animals. It’s kind of weird if I’m bein’ honest.”

After a moment of silence between the four of them, they all shared a soft chuckle. It felt good, not having to fear for his husband’s life every second. He _still_ worries every waking moment and will do so until he dies, but a moment like this keeps him stable and sane for a while longer, so he can be strong for Runaan.

Speaking of Runaan, a healer had been steadily approaching their small giggling group, placing a hand on Rayla’s shoulder hesitantly. The healer gave the young assassin a small smile of reassurance, which is much different than the looks Rayla had gotten most of the night.

Her voice was soft, fitting her smile and the sparkle in her eye. “A’right, Rayla, we’re done cleaning his wounds, you’re free to go in now.”

Rayla gave her a nod, then looked back up to Ethari with a terrifying glint in her eye. Almost like that time when Runaan would take her to the river bank for a birthday picnic when she was a small girl. 

“Do ya want me to come with ya?”

For a moment, it looked as if Rayla was ready to agree to it, her mouth opening to answer. She hesitated and Ethari put a hand on her shoulder, assuring her without using words. He was more than ready to just take her hand and walk with her to Runaan, but she put a hand on his wrist, her words catching him off guard. 

“No, I have to do this by myself.” 

Ethari let his hand slip off, watching her closely for a moment in - somewhat shocked - silence. She’s grown since the last time he saw her, no longer a young elf as he remembers her to be when she left the Silvergrove.

Rayla gave him a smile, following the healer without another word to the group. 

“Callum, can I have a word with ya in private?”

The princes glanced to each other, the older scratching his arm as we started to walk with the weaponsmith, pulling his blue jacket closed across his arms.

Callum was _nervous_ if he had to admit it, his hands wringing themselves around the fabric of his coat. He had put it on before they got into the Silvergrove, to hide the marks he painted on his arms that allowed him to form his wings. 

What if Ethari figured out about Rayla and him? Was he going to tell him to back off and stay away from her? 

Callum was assuming the worst on their walk, all the way to the little pond where the assassin’s flowers were dancing along the surface as the moon went to bed on the horizon. He watched as Ethari sat down at the edge, staring down at the water. It took him a moment before he moved to the edge of the pond too, sitting down with a stiff spine.

He gulped, waiting for Ethari to say something, _anything,_ to ease his anxiety growing in his chest _._ If Ethari was going to tell him to stay away from Rayla, he’d understand and try to keep his distance. He’s already well aware that their relationship, if he could even call it that, would be looked down upon by elves and humans alike.

But he loves her, he’d understand but it would break his heart to let her go.

Listening to Ethari take in a deep breath, he braced himself. 

“Who did you lose that was so special to you?”

Whatever Callum was expecting, it definitely wasn’t _that._


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> everyone has a chat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god im sorry for the wait on this, this chapter definitely doesn't make up for it, so I'm already starting on chapter 6 the second I'm uploading this

“ _Who did you lose that was so special to you?_ ”

The question lingered in the air, creating tension so thick Callum was sure Rayla could cut it if she was here with them. Feeling his heart thrum at the question, Callum inhaled deeply to take some of the pain away that abruptly stung deep in his chest.

His eyes were shut tightly, his fingers messing with the unravelling fabric of his gloves, his nails running over the small knots in the strings. Images flashed in his mind. They once brought joy to him, moments he could look back to when he was upset, now they only widened the cracks in his metaphorical armour. 

It was silent around them both for a few moments, Ethari staying silent as he watched Callum gulp.

A moment later, Ethari shook his head and scolded himself for attempting to talk to a child about their trauma. He stood up, putting a hand on the human boy’s shoulder reluctantly. He kept his touch light, yet supportive in case Callum did want to open up about something and get some of those pent up feelings out. 

Ethari doesn’t believe all humans are evil, but he’s still going to be cautious of every human he comes across. Especially after Viren attacked the Silvergrove and nearly killed Runaan _again._ He just hopes it won’t get in the way of helping his husband heal properly and healing both of their mental healths along the way.

But he was certain this human was different. Something about the two human boys was so kind that Ethari was certain he could trust them both with Rayla. 

His voice was soft, as though he was speaking to a young child, just above a whisper. “I see it still pains you, please, don’t force yourself to speak of it. Let’s forget about this, a’ight?” 

Brushing past the young human, he nearly fell over his own feet when five soft fingers gripped his own. The grip wasn’t tight, but it wasn’t loose either. For a moment, Ethari thought the human was trying to convey all his thoughts and emotions into the single touch, but it was quickly shaken off as he sat back down.

The expression on Callum’s face nearly broke his heart; a child shouldn’t have such longing and heartbreak on their features ever.

“My parents.” Callum finally spoke up, his hands gripping the book resting against his side. “I lost all three of my parents.”

Ethari tilted his head slightly, watching Callum open to a page somewhere around the front. “Three parents?” He asked curiously.

Callum held the book out for Ethari to see, on the page were three separate sketches of different humans. A female and two males, one of the males’ face nothing but a scribbled mess of blotched features. Ethari will admit, the lady in the sketches was gorgeous, although the context of being given the sketches made him shudder.

These must be the three parents.

“My mom, the former Queen of Katolis wasn’t born into royalty.” Callum started, the tips of his fingers diving under the surface of the water again. “She was married to, from what I’ve heard about him, a pretty nice guy. I don’t remember him, since he died when I was pretty young but he is my father still, so it was a little awkward at first calling the King of Katolis ‘dad’ when my mom got married to him.”

Ethari hummed. He knew of King Harrow’s fate, but he wasn’t aware the eldest prince had something like _this_ riding on his shoulders all the time. 

After observing the sketches a little more, he passed the human boy his book. His voice dropped low with the question like he was speaking to a frightened animal. “If I may ask, how did she pass?”

Callum nearly dropped his book in the water if he wasn’t that fast with his hands. He was silent for a minute until he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. 

His voice cracked a little as he mumbled, “Thunder killed her.”

“Thunder?” 

“Sorry,” Callum stumbled over his words, trying to remember the name. “Thunder is what we called Avizandum. Y’know, the former King of Dragons?”

Oh.

Everything makes a little more sense now. The death of the Dragon King, the great war between elvenkind and mankind, it was all because of the death of the queen of Katolis. 

His hands shook at the thought if Runaan had died. He dreaded to think of what could have happened if he had fallen into the endless cycle of revenge. 

Taking a deep breath, he focused back on their conversation. “I see. Seeing him must have been hard for you.”

Callum didn’t make a sound other than letting out a tired sigh, some tears threatening to appear in his eyes. They must have rushed from the Storm Spire they moment they received the news, no wonder the boy had bags under his eyes. 

“Let’s get you settled in, you look exhausted, Callum.” 

Callum chuckled. “I was honestly expecting you to ask about what’s between Rayla and me.” 

The human quickly put on a big smile the moment he saw Ethari look back to him with a look in his eye, somewhat of a threat lingering behind his eyes. 

His tone was nervous as he tried not to stumble over his words. “Not that there _is_ anything going on other than some things I’d rather not tell you because I think you’d hate me.” 

“We’ll talk about that another time.”

Callum nearly choked. “I’m so dead,” he whispered to himself, following the _extremely_ tall elf.

-#-

Rayla felt her heart thrum against her chest. She was going to face Runaan the moment she stepped through the door. Not only was it her fault for getting him and her fellow assassin’s possibly killed for a while, but she had gone against what he’d ordered. 

Surely, she’s in for a stern talking to. Or something much worse.

 _No time for hesitating,_ she reminded herself. Taking a deep breath, she took a step into the room. 

Runaan was sitting upright, rubbing a sore muscle in his arm. Whatever he did under the strings of the Human's control, it must have pushed his body beyond what it could take. His face was distant and unreadable as he stared at the floor, his eyes glazed over and deep in thought. 

Hearing the noise of a footstep different than that of a healer, he turned his head to the source.

The moment their eyes locked, Rayla felt her soul turn to winter. His eyes were cold and distant then, but now they show nothing more than a storm of silent rage swirling behind them at the sight of her. His jaw went tight, and his eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, voice tight with suspicion. She betrayed him once, she'll betray him again he wasn't careful this time. 

Her throat got as dry as the Midnight Desert within seconds. She didn't know what to say. But she had to start somewhere, and _fast_ before he assumed her silence meant something completely false. 

She took a deep breath. "Runaan, I can explain." 

"Of course," he stood, hand pressed against the nearby wall to support himself. "Do explain to me why you not only directly disobeyed me, but the mission, _and_ Xadia to travel with a human boy." His tone shifted, it held a warning on his tongue. If she said one wrong thing, she'll never be able to mend what happened between them. 

Getting her head back on track, she furrowed her brows. "I already told you _why_ when we were at Katolis. We had to let the humans get the egg back to Queen Zubeia, or else the war would have kept going for thousands of more years."

Runaan drew a breath, turning his head away from her. "Humans? So, how many did you travel with?"

Rayla crossed her arms and reeled her voice to sound strong. "Only two; the princes."

There was a heavy silence between them. She couldn't read what Runaan was thinking, but she could tell the rage was building in his chest. His hands were shaking, no, his entire body was shaking. 

"Runaan," she started, unfolding her arms, "I think you should-"

"Get out of here." 

She took a step back, her eyes wide and unsure. "Runaan, please-"

When their eyes locked again, Runaan had a threat of death behind his own. 

Rayla felt her heart skip a few beats. The silence between them was deafening; too loud and too quiet at the same time. Of course, he'd assume this, she'll just have to convince him another way. That'll be just _a walk in the park_ , now wouldn't it? 

She huffed in frustration, making long strides to the door. However, she stopped by it, her hand resting on the spiral of the doorknob. 

"Runaan," she spoke over her shoulder to him, "Don't let the ways of one human ruin them all for you. There is good in humans, and if you can't see it, it would seem your heart is colder than Viren's."

"You dare-" The assassin began, raising his voice and making his way for the door.

Rayla slammed the door shut before he could finish his sentence or reach her. 

He pressed his first against the dark wood, taking deep breaths. His chest ached from his movement, his arms felt numb. With a sharp inhale, he allowed himself to stumble back towards the bed. Perhaps, pushing himself too far to confront Rayla might have been the worst mistake he's made today. 

Outside, Rayla groaned as she descended the stairs back to her home. It was late, Callum was more likely to be asleep by now than anything else. Ethari _should_ have taken him to the spare room he had in case of emergencies, although she'd much rather stay with him the rest of the night than being left alone with her thoughts. 

She slipped into the living room as silently as she could, closing the door behind her with a wince at the tiniest creak in the oak. 

"How did it go?" 

Rayla let out a yelp, nearly jumping ten feet in the air from the sudden voice behind her. She shoved his arm with a hiss, letting a few curses slip. 

Ethari laughed softly as he apologised. 

The young assassin shook her head. "It went horrible."

"How come?" he asked, leading her toward a seat so she can sit down comfortably enough to talk freely. He also gave her some Moonberry Juice, it was her favourite. 

She took a generous sip of it, leaning back in the seat. "Well, he berated me for travelling with a human, can you guess what happened when I said I was travelling with _two_?"

Sitting down across from her, he looked at her curiously. "There were two? Who was the other one?"

"Prince Ezran," she stated quickly, "King Harrow's youngest son." 

"Ah, the young prince. I heard he has a way with animals."

Rayla snorted. "He scared an experienced hunter enough to near soil himself."

"How did he manage that?"

"He rode a Banther."

By Ethari's silence, Rayla glanced at him over the rim of her glass. His eyes were as wide as they were confused. He leaned forward a little, brows furrowed. " _What?_ " 

She nearly laughed but silenced herself last second. "Prince Ezran… He has a way with animals, he can speak to them and understand them."

"That's certainly a unique talent." 

"It's how he found out what the dragon Prince's name was. Believe me, it was a shock to us all too."

Ethari took a long sip. "I see. What happened next with Runaan?" 

"He sent me away," she shrugged. "Pretty sure he wanted to kill me at the last second. I told him " _Don't let the ways of one human ruin them all for you_ " and if I hadn't shut the door in his face, I'm sure I wouldn't be standing here."

"Your trip with the humans certainly gave you more bravery," Ethari hummed, leaning back into his seat, "Standing up against him like _that_? You're turning out just like your mother."

Rayla bit her tongue to prevent from telling him about what Callum told her about her parents. She needed more proof. Ethari is a trusting man, but even he needs proof for an outrageous claim like that one. 

Instead, she smiled behind her glass, downing the rest of her juice. "I just want him to get by without hatred for an entire race. It'll do him good. His frown will be gone for once in his life, that's for sure." 

"We'll figure it out tomorrow," Ethari chuckled, picking up the glasses. "Callum is asleep in your room, I thought you'd want to stay close to him."

She raised an eyebrow. "How did you know that?"

"Callum mentioned there was something between you two." Ethari smiled, "We'll discuss it tomorrow when everyone's awake."

Rayla stared at the tall elf. "You're not going to kill him, are you?" Her tone was light-hearted, but she still hoped that wasn't the case. Ethari can be scary when he wanted to be.

"I'm not the assassin between the three of us." 

Rayla smiled warily. She was not excited about the chat that was going to happen tomorrow now. She slipped into her room, seeing Callum's book resting on the table by the window. 

Quickly, she poked her head outside to see if Ethari was still there. "Didn't you make the weapons though?" 

His smile was anything but reassuring and she couldn't have shut the door tighter that night. She put the blades next to Callum's book, took off her boots and brushed her hair. Now that she was more comfortable, she slipped into the other side of the bed, watching Callum's chest rise and fall in a deep, steady rhythm. 

She couldn't let Runaan fall into being entirely unforgiving. He'd snap at the sight of a human and kill them on sight at this point. 

Holding her human's hand, she thought of ways to convince Runaan to _at least_ consider forgiving most of the human race. It seemed impossible, but she'd cross a thousand oceans if it means to keep Callum, Ezran, and Soren safe. Although, Soren might need a kick or two for siding with Viren before siding with them. 

Thinking of ways to convince her stubborn assassin mentor, her eyes drifted shut and she fell asleep. She could have sworn she felt a small spark of lightning in her palm before she fell into her dreams.

-#-

In the dungeons, Viren huffed as he slumped against the wall. He had been straining against his binds for hours. This cell was infested with insects. It was driving him _insane._

"Viren," echoed Aaravos' voice from his ear. It was soft, barely above a whisper. Soft enough so the guards won't hear it. 

Viren groaned, putting his hands over his face. "You made _another_ one of these things?" He whispered into his palms. He couldn't speak as quietly as the elf could, so he had to muffle it in some way. This was the closest he could get.

"With my remaining magic, yes." Aaravos rolled his eyes, stretching across the floor. He didn't care that it could be filthy, at least it was _real_. "I have a plan, it will get us out of here, but it'll take most of both our magical sources."

"I'm listening."

The elf grinned, putting her hands behind his head as a makeshift pillow. "Also, we'll need your daughter."

"Is it going to put her in harm's way?" 

"Never would I put her in danger."

Viren peeked at Aaravos' cell from between his fingers. The elf's hair was tied by string into a tight ponytail. Only the gods know where he could get the piece of string in a place like this. He was playing with a small blue crystal, flicking it between his fingers. 

When has Aaravos ever led him astray? 

"Go on."

Viren swore Aaravos' eyes glinted with evil, narrowing like a snake with the grin of a demon. He sat up, picking up a larger crystal. "Let's begin."


End file.
